1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ink cartridges configured to be mounted to a recording apparatus comprising an urging member configured to urge the ink cartridge in one direction.
2. Description of Related Art
A known tube-supply-type inkjet recording apparatus, such as an inkjet recording apparatus, as described in Patent No. EP 2 039 521 B1, has a recording head mounted on a carriage, and an ink cartridge positioned outside of the carriage and in fluid communication with the recording head via a tube. The inkjet recording apparatus has a cartridge mounting portion having an opening at a front face of a housing of the inkjet recording apparatus. The ink cartridge is configured to be inserted horizontally into the cartridge mounting portion via the opening to be mounted removably to the cartridge mounting portion. When the ink cartridge is mounted to the cartridge mounting portion, an ink path is formed from the ink cartridge to the recording head so that ink may flow therethrough. Thus, ink is supplied from the ink cartridge to the recording head via the ink path.
The ink cartridge has a main body, a cover configured to cover a portion of the main body, and a coil spring positioned between the main body and the cover. When the ink cartridge is mounted to the cartridge mounting portion, the main body is urged toward the opening of the cartridge mounting portion by the coil spring. The cartridge mounting portion has a lock arm, and the lock arm is configured to retain the main body in the cartridge mounting portion against an urging force of the coil spring.
When the lock arm is rotated, such that the ink cartridge is released, the ink cartridge is moved toward the opening by the coil spring, and stops moving in a stop position, in which a rear portion of the ink cartridge is positioned outside of the cartridge mounting portion. A user can hold and pull the rear portion of the ink cartridge to remove the cartridge. Ease of removal of the ink cartridge increases as the stop position is moved further outside by increasing the spring constant of the coil spring. Nevertheless, increasing the spring constant increases the urging force applied to the main body or to the lock arm, which may damage the cartridge mounting portion or the ink cartridge.
Another known ink cartridge, such as an ink cartridge described in Patent No. EP 1 790 480 B1, is configured to be mounted to a cartridge mounting portion and the cartridge mounting portion includes a door that opens and closes. When the door is opened by a user, the door latches to the ink cartridge to pull the ink cartridge from the cartridge mounting portion to the outside of the cartridge mounting portion. Nevertheless, the distance the ink cartridge is pulled by the door may be limited to a short distance, and thus it may be limited in easing the removal of the ink cartridge.